


This Bond Between Us Can't Be Broken

by radiowrittenheart



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Bittersweet, DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION NOW, F/F, Family Fluff, Oneshot, Relationship Discussions, baby Steven is so frikkin' cute, sappy gay space rocks with their human baby boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 12:30:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4606815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radiowrittenheart/pseuds/radiowrittenheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's taken too long for Sapphire to warm up to the newest addition of the Crystal Gems; and try as she might, Ruby has never understood why. But they've made it through so many things ... this is something - someone - so small, with such a big future ahead of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Bond Between Us Can't Be Broken

**Author's Note:**

> I've noticed that a good portion of the fandom thinks that Ruby was the one who was wary of Steven at first, but I like to think it was Sapphire at first so I made a fic about it. Hope y'all enjoy.
> 
> (also, yes, another Phil Collins song inspired this.  
> i don't know why but some of the songs from the Tarzan soundtrack make me think of Steven.)

Sapphire couldn’t believe it. This was ridiculous. She couldn’t stand to even so much glance at the scene in the living room- but at the same time, it seemed as if she found it impossible to look away.

“Come on, squirt,” Ruby said softly, as she held little Steven by his hands and hoisted him to his feet. “You got this.”

Sapphire drummed her fingers against the couch cushions. “He won’t do it,” she muttered.

Ruby scowled, letting the baby boy fall back down on his rump. “Don’t listen to her, little buddy,” she spoke up. “You can do it.” She stood Steven up one more time, gently guiding him to turn to the side. “Walk over to Sapphire.”

“He won’t-”

Sapphire was cut off when Steven stumbled and fell face-down onto the floor, which summoned him to start crying into the carpet. She frowned at the sight of it, not even moving to make sure if he was alright. He was a human baby. They recovered instantly.

With a wince, Ruby helped the toddler into a seating position. “Hey, hey, look at me,” she whispered to him. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

It took a few moments, but little Steven eventually quieted down and gurgled happily.

“You can’t force him to walk,” Sapphire spoke up.

“I’m not forcing him,” Ruby replied. “I’m teaching him.” She laughed when the baby boy began to yank at her headband. “No, that’s not a toy-” She took Steven’s hands, placing a kiss on them, and summoning him to giggle. “-you want MC Bear-Bear instead?”

She picked up the stuffed toy, giving it to the toddler. However, Ruby’s joy slightly faded as she noticed the gloominess of Sapphire’s aura. But she decided not to question it. After all, there was no reason to ask. She already knew the answer - they both did. The answer involved why they couldn’t stay fused for more than a few days…

“I know what you’re going to say, and I won’t do it,” Sapphire spoke up.

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Ruby grumbled.

“But you almost did-”

“- _but I didn’t_.”

Sapphire released the softest of huffs, crossing her legs and folding her hands neatly. Yet no matter how many times she tried, meditation was futile. She could see it all- it was so painfully beautiful…

“Ru,” Steven babbled. “Ru-Ru.”

“Yeah, buddy,” Ruby laughed. “I’m Ru-Ru. And that’s Sapphy-”

“-he won’t remember us,” Sapphire mumbled, barely moving her lips.

Ruby bit her lip, suppressing a growl as she muttered something under her breath.

However, it made no sense to try and hide her opinion.

Sapphire practically sneered. “I’m not spoiling anything,” she declared. “I’m just telling you not to waste your time.”

“You know what?” Ruby said. “C’mon, Steven. We’re gonna go to the beach.” She hoisted the baby boy up off of the carpet, holding him gently as she carried him out of the cabin…

...the way she closed the door wasn’t exactly gentle, though.

The doorframe practically shook and a good part of the wood was burned as Ruby left.

But Sapphire remained behind. She let a single, heavy tear fall from her eye - and she choked back a sob. None of this was fair. Homeworld called her power a blessing, but for years, she knew that it was a curse. And through all of the centuries they had been together, Ruby would never comprehend the full capacity of the burden. Was that it? Was that why she was mad?

Why were they even upset with each other in the first place?

Ever since that child - Steven - was born almost two years ago, it had been hard for them.

Garnet loved the little tyke so much. Of course she would. Ruby did too.

But Sapphire found it difficult to do such a thing.

She didn’t blame Rose-

-she blamed herself. She knew what was going to happen. She didn’t tell anyone. Rose had to explain it all … which hurt unlike anything else in the world. Garnet was still working out the kinks of future vision, she could only see blurs.

For Sapphire, it was all clear as crystal.

She wanted to care for Steven, but how could she when she saw everything he would encounter?

The good was slowly fading in but the bad spread through her mind like a plague. Sapphire found it hard to love him, but it was very easy to get worried sick about him; the miracle. Yes, she believed Steven was something close to that-

-which was why she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Sapphire exhaled deeply, and got up from her seat, sneaking out the front door and standing on the balcony.

It was a very nice scene indeed; Ruby holding Steven, and letting him scream with joy as the waves swept past the both of them. She lifted him up towards the sky, spinning around in a circle and laughing along with the toddler.

A part of Sapphire wanted to join them. The other half wished to retreat into the Temple, spend the rest of the day in her room.

She decided to let the first half take the wheel of decision…

Somehow, she managed to sneak down the beach unnoticed, until Ruby emerged from the water and blankly stared at Sapphire for a moment or two.

“What do you want?” she said softly, placing Steven down in the sand and letting him roll around.

“I … I-” Sapphire cleared her throat. “I’d like to join you both.”

“We were going to build sand castles and then get ice cream,” Ruby muttered. “Not that you would know those are his favorite things to do-”

“ _Ruby_. I do know-”

“You don’t act like it-”

“-and I’m sorry.” Sapphire swallowed hard, brushing her hair out of her face so she could directly look Ruby in the eye. “But you don’t understand how hard this is for me. Do you think I don’t want to be there for him? I - I look at him and I see so much. I can’t live in the moment like you can, but I want to because he’s-” She paused, trying to find the right words. “-he’s the closest thing we could ever have, aside from Garnet, but she … she’s not quite it.”

Ruby gave a hesitant nod. “Yeah,” she mumbled. “That’s why I love the little tyke too.” She looked down at Steven, crawling around her legs. “Doesn’t help he’s a real cutie.”

Sapphire’s smile was lopsided and oh-so bittersweet. “And I have tried,” she murmured. “You know that.”

All those nights she rocked him to sleep. Tried to feed him. Sang lullabies. Sapphire did contribute, but she could only handle so much.

“I just wish you could do more,” Ruby mumbled. “It doesn’t feel right without you.”

With a halfhearted nod, Sapphire glanced down to see little Steven tugging on her dress and laughing as he looked up at her. “It’s not too late, though,” she said. “Not for us. Not for him-” She went still when Ruby placed a finger on her lips.

“Let’s forget that ever happened,” she murmured. “And don’t spoil anything anymore, okay?”

“I don’t mean it,” Sapphire admitted, with a bashful smile. “I - I’m just worried.”

“Don’t be,” Ruby said. “We’ve got each other.”

Sapphire chuckled, and leaned down, picking up the toddler. His big, brown eyes widened at the sight of her single eye, and he cooed as he reached out for it. However, Sapphire took her hand into his own, kissing his forehead-

-she wondered if he understood all of the good images flooding into his mind.

“And we have him,” she murmured.

Ruby sighed, leaning in and easily kissing Sapphire on the lips. They shared a gaze, meeting in for a few more quick, sweet kisses until there was a flash of red with smiles and laughter until Garnet was cradling precious little Steven.

“Garnee!” he squealed, waving his little hands with joy.

It seemed two days had been too long for him.

“Hello there, cutie pie,” Garnet chuckled, propping the baby boy on her hip.

Even if he had a view of the entire world, the endless ocean of opportunity, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He smiled, laughed, and wrapped his tiny arms around her in something of a hug.

Steven was so naive to the beautiful family he had.


End file.
